Deepak ObhraiParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the regulations amending the special economic measures, Syria, regulations, as announced on January 25, 2012, as well as the regulations amending the special economic measures, Iran, regulations, as announced on January 31, 2012.

Madam Speaker, under the provisions of Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, copies of the West Bank First Nations Self-Government Agreement annual report on implementation for the years 2008 to 2010.

Madam Speaker, under the provisions of Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, copies of the 2009-10 annual report on the state of Inuit culture and society in the Nunavut settlement area.

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to present, on behalf of 30-some people in my riding in western New Brunswick, a petition on behalf of the Canadian interfaith league calling for collaboration, leadership and action on climate change and the importance it represents to us as a world.

Madam Speaker, I have four petitions to present. The first petition calls on the government to create a royal commission on health and the environment. The objective would be to take stock of the studies over the years linking problems with human health to pollutants in the environment.

I have three petitions that call upon the government to take stronger action against climate change, namely to sign a binding international agreement replacing the Kyoto protocol, one that commits nations to reduce carbon emissions and set fair and clear targets to ensure that global average temperatures stay below a 2°C increase from pre-industrial levels.

The petitioners also want the government to develop a national renewable energy policy and implement climate justice by playing a constructive role in the design of the green climate fund under United Nations governance.

Madam Speaker, the last petition is a smaller one, but it is on a local issue. It deals with a marina on Mississippi Lake and the concerns the petitioners have with regard to the way in which the marina is operating.

Madam Speaker, I present two petitions today. They both deal with issues of justice and human rights.

The first petition is signed by over 165 people from British Columbia, Ontario and other parts of Canada. It deals with the troubling use of secret trial security certificates.

The petitioners ask the House to examine security certificates, recognizing that they imprison indefinitely on secret evidence people for whom no charges have yet been brought. They really deny them full right of appeal and deny them their charter rights. This really is offensive to all principles of the rule of law and Canadian tradition.

They call upon the House to ensure that those who are currently detained be released unless they can have charges clearly brought and that they not be deported.

The second petition also deals with justice issues. It is signed by people from British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Manitoba. It deals with the mandatory minimum sentences that are included in Bill C-10.

The petitioners urge that the government not pursue the failed policies of other jurisdictions in using mandatory minimums, knowing that every criminologist, every academic study has found that they simply do not work. They are not tough on crime; they are just stupid on crime.

Madam Speaker, the vast majority of signatures on this petition are from citizens in Calgary, Alberta regarding the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, CBC/ Radio-Canada.

The petitioners draw the attention of the House to the fact that CBC is a national public broadcaster and that Radio-Canada plays an important role in reflecting Canada and its regions. There are several points in the petition, but one of the points is about the role it plays in the regions across the country from coast to coast to coast.

The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to maintain stable, predictable, long-term core funding to the public broadcaster, CBC/Radio-Canada, in support of its unique and crucial role.